Coffin-fastener



(No Model.)

W. HAMILTON.

. GOPPIN PASTBNER.

No. 395,226. Patented Deo. 25, 1888.I

INTED STATES PATENT rricn.

IVILLIAM HAMILTON, OF ALLEGIIENY, PENNSYLVANIA.

COFFINNFASTENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 395,226, dated December 25, 1888.

Application filed September 6, 1888. Serial No. 284,745. (No model.)

T0 all whom, t may concern:

Beit known that I, WILLIAM HAMIL'roN, of the city ot' Allegheny, in the county ot Allegheiiy and State ot' Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Coftiirliastening Devices; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and act description thereof.

The main object of my invention is io provide improved means t'or attaching the lids and tops of easkets in such a way that the fastening devices may be used as hinges and that the lid maybe raised thereon t'rom either side. v

It often happens in the management of tunerals that caskets with hinged lids are inconvenient, because ot' the interference ofthe lid when raised with the furniture ot the room, it being customary to have the t'oot ot' t-he casket directed toward 4the`door. I obviate this difficulty by constructing caskets with hinged lids,which may be opened from either side and locked on either side. patent, No. 370,33V ,dated September2l, 1.887, I describe and claim a casket of this form, wherein the lid is hinged to the casket by a hinge-lock composed ot two leaves permanently hinged together, one ot' said leaves being iixed to the lid, and a movable bolt or lock which engages the other leat,whereby the latter is detachably securable to the casket,y

so that it may be used either as a lock or as a hinge. In the device described and shown-in that patent the bolt or lock is set in a recess in the rim ot' the casket and engages a projecting stud or boss on one ot' the leaves et the hinge.

In the device which forms the subject ot` the present invention, and which is a subsidiary improven'ient on the device described and claimed in said patent, the bolt or lock is arranged on and carried by the detachable hinge-leaf. It also differs therefrom in that whereas in the said patent the bolt or lock operates lengthwise of the casket, in my pre. ent device the bolt operates transversely, and is movable by pulling on a small projecting cord or hand-piece.

The advantages derived from my present structure are increased strength and durability and neatness of appearance of the parts.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis In a prior a transverse section through the lid and sides of the casket, showing my .improved lock and lation when they are locked together, and inv dotted lines as indicating their relation when the lid is raised on the device as en a hinge. Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line r a', of Fig. 2, showing the lid et' the casket raised. Fig. t is a bottom plan view otl the leavesv ot the hinge detached t'rom the lid, the leaves being shown closed together. Fig. 5 is a top plan viewof the keeper or socket,wl1.ich is set in the rim ot' the casket.. I

Like symbols ot reference indicate like parts in each iigure.

In the drawings, 2 indicates the casket, and 3 the lid or top. The upper edges of both sides ot' the casket are providf-nll withmy improved hinge and lock device, and as they are substantially the same in construction I shall first describe a single side, and shall then indicate the relation ot' the devices on both sides to each other.

The lid is secured to the casket on both sides by means ot the combined hinges and locks shown in the drawings. Each of the latter has a hinge-plate, J., which is permanently fastened to the under side of the lid by screws 5. Connected with the plate 4 by means ol' a pintle, is a second plate, 7 ,which is adapted to be folded into contact with the plate 4, as shown in Figs. l, 2, and I.

8 is a small boss or case which projects at right angles from the under side ot' the plate 7, and which is made hollow, so as to contain a small movable sprii'xg-actuated bolt or catch,

f), the spring l0 of which tends to project a hooked portion at its vforward end from the under side ot' the case. The shank ot' the bolt or catch has a. rearwardly-projecting stem, Il, which is adapted to have attached to it a cord or hand-piece, I2,by which it may be drawn back against the force of the spring l0, so as to retract the hooked portion within the case S. In order to hold the bolt or catch permanently in place in the plate 7, I prefer to make the plate ot" two slightlyseparated leaves, which are rigidly fastened together by rivets I3. The upper edge of the bolt or catch IOO dotted lines in Fig. 4.

5o`tles 6 of the hinges which are so formed.

works in a slot made inv the lower of the leaves of the plate 7, and the spring is interposed between these leaves and is braced in its spring action by pins le, as shown by The bosses or cases 8 are adapted to enter sockets or locking-recesses l5, made in the rim of the casket. These recesses are cut in the rim of the casket at suitable intervals corresponding to the 1o relative positions of the bosses or cases 8, and

are preferably faced and lined with the device which I have illustrated in Fig. 5. This consists of a plate, 16, of metal, havingahole in the center, which is made by forcing out of the plate a tongue, h, which stands at right Zontal ledge or shoulder, c, formed by the rim of the plate 1G, which affords means for the engagement of the hook of the bolt or catch 9.

The operation of the device is as follows: lVhen it is used as a lock for locking the lid to the rim of the casket, the parts occupy the relative positions shown in Figs. l and 2, the Aleaves 4 and 7 of the hinge being folded into a horizontal position in contact with cach other, the case 8 projecting into the recess 3o l5, the hooked portion of the catch or bolt 9 projecting` from the case under the shoulder c in the recess, and the cord l2 being' on the outer side of the casket. lVhen in these positions, it is clear that the parts act as a perfect lock to the lid and hold it rigidly to the casket, and for the purpose of holding these parts more firmly together there are preferably several of the hingelocks, two or more on each side of the casket. Now,

4o if it be desired to raise the lid on the hinges on one side of the casket the bolts 9 of the hinge-locks on the other side are disengaged therefrom by pulling the bolts back by means of the cords l2, and the bolts 9 beingl then free from the locking-shoulder, the lid can be raised on .this side freely from the casket. On the other side of the casket the hinge-leaves 7 are held to the casket by means of the bolts 9, and the lid therefore turns on the pin- In this way the lid may be raised from either side, the hinge-locks on one side acting as hinges on which the lid turns, while on the vother side the hinges and the bolts are entirely detached :from the casket and lift with the lid. NVhen the hinges on both sides are locked to the casket, the lid is held down ,firmly in place. Then the hinges on both Arles are disconnected, the lid may be removed 6o altogether.

The advantages of the i"vention will be appreciated by those skilled in the art. The hinge-locks are simple in construction, durable, and are so inconspicuous as not to affect the desirable plainness and neatness of appearance of the casket.

My improved hinge-locks may be applied to use, as stated in the patent above mentioned, by using them on one side of the casket and applying to the other side any suitable fastening device or lock. Then the lid may always be raised on its hinge in one direction, and may be removed altogether by detaching the hinge, as above described.

I do not desire to limit myself to the exact form of the devices which I show and describe, since they may be varied by the skilled workman-for example, the parts may be transposed, the parts of the fastening' devicey which l have shown on the casket being put on the lid and the parts on the lid put on the casket.

I am aware of Letters Patent No. 268,873 to Dayton, and do not claim what is therein shown and described; but

I claiml. The combination of the lid, the casket, and a hinge consisting of a leaf fixed to the under side of the lid, and aL second leaf permanently hinged to the other and having attached to and carried by it a movable bolt or catch, whereby it may be detachably secured to the casket, substantially as and for the purposes described.

2. The combination of the lid 3, the plate 7, permanently hinged to the lid and having Ya projecting bolt case or boss, S, a movable bolt or catch secured therein and carried by the plate 7, and a casket having on its upper edge a socket adapted to receive the bolt case or boss and to engage the bolt or catch, substantially as and for the purposes described.

3. The combination of the lid 3, the plate 7, permanently hinged to the lid and having a projecting bolt case or boss, 8, a transverselysliding movable bolt or catch secured therein and carried by the plate 7, and the casket having on its upper edge a socket adapted to receive the bolt case or boss and to engage the bolt or catch, said bolt or catch,having an ouinwardly-projecting shank by which it may be moved and disengaged from the outside of the casket, substantially as and for the purposes described. y

In testimony whereof I' have hereunto set my hand this 5th day of September, A. D. l SSS.

VILLIAM HAMILTON.

Titnessesz W. B. CoRwIN, J. K. SMITH.

IOO 

